Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has scored a historic victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, emerging as the largest political force in Sunday’s regional election and delivering a major setback to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
The AfD secured about 44% of the vote, more than doubling its support compared with the previous state election. The CDU, which has governed Saxony-Anhalt since 2002, suffered a dramatic collapse, taking roughly 17%–18% of the vote.
The result marks the strongest performance by a far-right party in a German state election since World War II and brings the AfD closer than ever to controlling a state government. However, the party fell short of an outright parliamentary majority. Final results reported by the Associated Press gave the AfD 39 of 83 seats, leaving it three seats short of the 42 needed to govern alone.
AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund hailed the result as a historic mandate, while party leaders celebrated the breakthrough. Most mainstream parties have maintained a political “firewall” against cooperation with the AfD, making the formation of a government uncertain despite its commanding electoral position.
The election is also a serious blow to Merz, whose government has faced voter dissatisfaction over Germany’s economic difficulties, migration and other domestic issues. The AfD has built particularly strong support in eastern Germany, where concerns over economic prospects and migration have fueled discontent with established parties.
The result is likely to intensify debate across Germany over whether the country’s long-standing refusal to cooperate with the AfD can withstand its growing electoral strength.